


Zoey’s Extraordinary Alphabet

by butyoucantnemo



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Meet-Cute, Mutual Pining, One Shot Collection, Romance, Songfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:07:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24114763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butyoucantnemo/pseuds/butyoucantnemo
Summary: Short stories and drabbles based on a word/phrase/song corresponding to each letter of the alphabet, featuring mainly Zoey/Max.(Tags will be added with each new chapter.)
Relationships: Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 40
Kudos: 56





	1. A is for Aisle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!!
> 
> I’m really excited to write these! All chapters will be individual from each other; if any chapters are connected with another, I’ll let you know beforehand!
> 
> I’m working on another story for another fandom right now so I don’t know how often I’ll get to update, but I’ll try to split my time evenly.
> 
> Anyways, hope you all enjoy! :)

They’d both been waiting for this day for what felt like forever. It had taken weeks of preparation, planning, and motivation leading up to this special day, but both Max and Zoey were excited and ready for what was to come. 

It was a day unlike any other, and they had been practically vibrating with anticipation when they arrived at the location. 

They’d been split up upon their arrival, each needing to take care of a few things before they could be together again, but their separation did nothing to hinder their zeal. 

Nothing could compare to the moment she walked down the aisle though. 

Zoey looked effortlessly gorgeous, flitting by the people along the aisle as she wore white and carried her assortments. 

Max thought she had never looked more beautiful than in that moment. 

“Hi, baby,” Zoey whispered when she finally made it to the end of the aisle where Max was standing, lifting herself on her tiptoes to sneak a little but loving kiss onto his cheek as he smiled goofily. 

“You look beautiful,” Max murmured back, doing nothing to conceal his awe for the woman in front of him. 

“Stop it,” Zoey quietly muttered, a blush spreading across her pale face. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he crooned back, leaning forward to tenderly kiss her forehead. 

“Did you get everything you needed?” Zoey asked suddenly, her excitement evident as she looked at her surroundings. 

Unable to hide his amusement, Max smiled and answered, “Yep,” before pointing at the cart of groceries next to him and laughing. “And what about you, missy?”

With that, Zoey moved a few steps to the grocery cart and dumped the assortment of grocery goods she was carrying into the cart. “Well, you’re the expert. Is there anything else I need?”

Peering into the cart to survey her findings, Max thought of something and said, “Looks like you’ve got everything you need… _ but _ I think this calls for some celebratory ice cream. I mean, this  _ is  _ your first time ever grocery shopping since your mom always does it for you…and we’ve been waiting weeks to finally get here. That’s something to be celebrated, right?”

Lightly hitting his chest but unable to hide her huff of amusement, Zoey said, “Shut up. It’s not  _ my  _ fault takeout is utterly irresistible. Or that grocery shopping is calming to my mom so she’s always offered to do it for me.”

Smiling, he leaned down slightly to place a delicate kiss to her lips before saying, “Oh,  _ of course  _ your purchase of takeout almost every night is not your fault. How dare I suggest otherwise?”

“Yeah, how  _ dare _ you? So rude,” Zoey joked. Before Max could make a retort, Zoey backed away from him as she laughed and exited the aisle they were standing in to head to the freezer section, ready to look at the vast selection of ice cream. 

They spent what felt like  _ hours  _ contemplating what types of ice cream they should buy to keep her freezer stocked for a while. In the end, they bought six cartons in total: two cartons of mint chocolate chip—Max’s favorite—, two cartons of moose tracks—Zoey’s favorite—, a carton of key lime sorbet, and a carton of coconut vanilla. 

They made their way to the checkout lines and turned to each other with smiles on their faces while the cashier scanned their items. 

“Thanks for letting me help you today, Zo. It was fun to see you out of your element,” Max quipped, smirking at the tiny redhead as he dragged her into a hug. 

After flicking his forehead in retaliation while he quietly laughed, Zoey slowly linked her hands behind his neck and stretched up to give him a kiss. “You’re lucky I love you. Besides, how are you supposed to make me food whenever you stay over if I don’t have any groceries?”

Shaking his head in amusement, Max released Zoey from his arms as he handed his credit card to the cashier—much to Zoey’s annoyance since he’d  _ explicitly _ promised earlier that he’d let her pay for all of the stuff—and paid. Once the transaction was completed, Max moved to push their grocery cart out to the parking lot so they could load up his car and head back to Zoey’s apartment. 

“You do look beautiful today, Zoey. Seeing you walking down that grocery aisle in those leggings and that white shirt that you stole from me this morning was the best thing I’ve seen in awhile,” Max admitted as he and Zoey loaded the trunk of his car and then closed it when all of the groceries were loaded. 

“Well, I’ve got good news for you, babe,” Zoey smiled as she pulled him closer and showed off her gorgeous oval-shaped halo engagement ring that he had proposed to her with a few months ago. 

Smiling widely and leaning down to give her a sweet kiss, he whispered, “Only three more months; three more months until I get to watch you walk towards me down a real aisle and spend the rest of your life with me.”

“I can't wait,” Zoey admitted as she smiled and gave him another slow, love-filled kiss before pulling away and moving to open her side of the car and climbing in. 

“Me either,” Max responded to no one, face breaking out into a ginormous, dopey smile as he pulled his keys out of his pocket and climbed in the car. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys thought! :)
> 
> Edit: I forgot to add this earlier but here’s what I imagined for Zoey’s ring:
> 
> https://www.taylorcustomrings.com/shopinstagramrings/rose-gold-morganite-halo


	2. B is for Broken Showers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was actually a ton of fun to write! I’ve had this story idea for a while so I’m happy I was finally able to use it for Max and Zoey!
> 
> Just an FYI: this is a slight AU story where Mitch hasn’t gotten sick yet, Zoey doesn’t have her powers yet, Max and Zoey are next-door neighbors, and Mo still lives in the same apartment complex as Zoey, just not right across from her (that’s not relevant to the plot or anything but Mo is mentioned so I didn’t want to confuse anyone).
> 
> Anyway, all mistakes are mine and I hope you all enjoy.

Max and Zoey had known each for a little over three years, ever since he moved into the apartment next to her’s, making them neighbors. 

The day he moved in, he was walking up the stairs of the apartment complex, arms full with boxes of his things, as she was walking down the stairs holding a busted-looking microwave. 

“Oh,” she exclaimed, startled when she noticed someone else on the stairs. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there. Who are you? I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“Uh, hi, I’m Max. I’m moving into Apartment 4,” Max responded, feeling the strain in his arms from the heavy boxes he was holding. 

“Oh…awesome,” Zoey said as her face broke into a large, friendly smile. “I’m Zoey and I guess we’re neighbors now. I’m right across from you in Apartment 3.” She paused for a moment, just looking at him before she must’ve noticed the tightness on his face caused by the heavy boxes. “Shit, sorry, those look super heavy and I’m standing here blabbering to you. Do you need any help?” she rambled at lightning speed, already setting the broken microwave down on a step and moving to take one of the boxes from his arms. 

“Um, that would be great actually…as long as you’re not busy,” Max responded, gratitude clear in his tone. 

“I was just going to take that microwave down to the dumpster since I broke it beyond repair but I don’t mind helping you instead,” Zoey insisted sweetly as she walked back up the stairs and towards his new apartment building. 

“Well that’s very sweet of you, Zoey. Thank you,” Max said as he caught up to redhead and led her into his apartment, setting the boxes down on the floor. 

“Well you’re very welcome, Max.” They stayed in their places for a few long moments, just smiling at each other, before Zoey turned around and headed towards the door, Max following closely behind her. 

* * *

Ever since his move-in day, Zoey and Max had gotten to know each other quite well and considered each other best friends. 

As it turned out, Max had moved to San Francisco for a job opportunity which just so happened to be at SPRQ Point, the same place Zoey was working. So they turned out to be neighbors, coworkers, and—eventual—best friends all wrapped into one. 

The problem for Zoey was: she had a _massive_ crush on Max; like…she had definitely fallen in love with him and didn’t know what to do about it. 

And she knew that Max didn’t feel the same way about her. Like really, why _would_ he be in love with his zany, awkward coworker/next-door neighbor/best friend who is terrible with feelings and had never made a relationship last longer than a year?

So, she resigned herself to the fact that her unrequited feelings towards Max would never become anything more than a one-sided love. 

Her family and Mo tried to help her “get over” Max as best they could; Mo took her out to eat on multiple occasions and gave her a key to his apartment so she could come and go as she pleased, Maggie provided her a few cooking lessons, claiming they would provide a nice distraction, Mitch took her on outdoor adventures such as camping, sailing, and hiking, and David and Emily reinstated pizza-and-games night at the Clarke household. 

And as much as their efforts helped in distracting Zoey from Max, the minute she was on her own, her mind would automatically grow wistful as she thought about everything she loved about Max. 

It was pure, unadulterated _torture._

But Zoey promised herself she’d be a present best friend despite her inner-angst, so she still talked and hung out with Max most days, whether it was on their lunch break, after work, or on the weekend. 

Her yearning only got worse over time though. It reached the point where Zoey could barely look at Max without her throat clogging up with emotion as her heart beat wildly in her chest. 

So Maggie’s—temporary—solution for her daughter was to set her up on a date with the son of one of her client’s. And Zoey had agreed because it was a chance to get her mind off of Max, even if it was just for a little while. 

* * *

The day of her date with Owen, the client’s son, was Sunday and Zoey had managed to avoid Max for the entire weekend. 

…Until her shower decided to break as she was getting ready for her date. 

Though she had a key to Mo’s apartment, for some reason he _hated_ other people using his shower or luxurious bathtub. 

So that meant that Zoey’s only option was to kindly ask Max to use his, since her parents’ house was a little bit away and she was already running kind of late. 

Groaning and cursing her bad luck, she gathered everything she would need for a shower and made her way across the hall to Max’s apartment before knocking. She heard the sound of the piano stopping and footsteps as he made his way through his apartment and towards the door. 

“Zoey?” Max questioned once the door was opened, confusion evident in his tone as he looked at the toiletries in her hands. 

“Hi, I’m _so_ so sorry but my shower decided to break today and I have a date in about forty-five minutes so I was wondering if I could borrow your shower for a couple minutes?” Zoey rambled, her body language giving way to her nervousness, which confused Max to no end. 

“Uh…y-yeah, sure, Zo. Come on in,” Max answered, ushering the redhead into his house. “You, uh…you have a date tonight?”

Unbeknownst to Zoey, Max had been madly in love with her since the day he met her. He knew his feelings were one-sided though. Like really, why _would_ she be in love with her awkward coworker/next-door neighbor/best friend who had daddy issues and had never felt true love in his life until he met her?

It was silly of him to ever toy with the idea being with Zoey. And he’d done his best to bury his feelings deep down and act like everything was normal. 

But that didn’t make it hurt any less when Zoey said she had a date. 

“Yeah, I…my mom set me up with the son of one of her clients. We’re supposed to be going to dinner tonight,” Zoey admitted, looking sheepish and a little bit heartbroken? Max didn’t fully understand why she sounded heartbroken. In fact, _he_ was the one who should sound heartbroken; the woman he was head over heels in love with was going on a date with a person that wasn’t him. 

“Well, I-I’m happy for you, Zo. And yeah, you’re more than welcome to use my shower. You know where it is,” Max responded, doing his best to conceal the hurt he felt while thinking out how Zoey would be spending her evening (and potentially her night).

“Thank you, Max. Seriously, thank you,” Zoey gushed, resting a hand on his bicep before quickly realizing what she did and pulling the hand away as if she was burned. 

Deciding to ignore her movement, Max just smiled and said, “Of course. Anything you need, I’m here for you.”

And with that, Zoey turned away from him and headed to the bathroom, leaving Max to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. 

* * *

For a girl who was supposedly running late for her date, Zoey sure was taking her sweet time showering. 

Trying to distract himself from thoughts of the woman in his shower, Max gravitated back to the piano and began to unconsciously play sad, slow love songs as he wallowed in self-pity. 

He was only broken out of his trance by the sound of Zoey calling his name from the bathroom door. 

“Max? Hey, Max?” Zoey whisper-shouted as she hid her towel-clad body behind the slightly ajar door of the bathroom. 

Startled by the sudden voice, Max quickly spoke , “Oh, hi, sorry. You need something?”

“I…well,” Zoey hesitated, her embarrassment evident in her burning red cheeks that surely weren’t only red from the hot shower she took, “I was so busy g-grabbing the things I needed for the shower that I, uh…I kind of forgot to grab clothes? And I sort of stepped on my old clothes with my wet feet so….”

Dumbfounded at how she could possibly forget clean clothes, Max couldn’t help but laugh a little in amusement and say, “You…you forgot your clothes?”

“I forgot my clothes,” Zoey confirmed, the blush still overtaking her pale features. 

Blowing out a breath and shaking his head at the forgetful woman, Max smiled and offered, “Okay, well, do you need me to get you some clothes for you to temporarily borrow or are you preparing me for the moment you walk out of my apartment and into your’s, wearing only a towel?”

Huffing a laugh, Zoey matched his smile and said, “I can safely say that I would rather _not_ walk around in only a towel. You wouldn’t mind if I borrowed your clothes for a little bit?”

Ignoring the fact that yes, he did mind because if he saw her dressed in his clothes, he might give into his urges and kiss her senseless, he assured, “I don’t mind at all, Zo. Just give me a second to find some things.”

Once he was safely in his room, away from his effortlessly beautiful best friend, Max let out a slow, deep breath and slumped against the wall, wondering what he could’ve done to have such bad karma. 

But he couldn’t leave her hanging for too long, so he got his bearings together and searched through his closet for his smallest t-shirt and a pair of his boxers, since all of his pants would come nowhere close to fitting the petite woman. 

When he exited his room and made his way to the bathroom off of the living room, he found Zoey lounging on top of the bathroom counter, humming softly to herself as she brushed her fingers through her wet hair. 

Stopped dead in his tracks, Max couldn’t help but stare longingly at Zoey while she was off in her own little world. _That’s the love of my life_ , Max thought to himself as he looked at Zoey. 

Realizing how creepy it was becoming to stare at his towel-clad best friend, Max shook his head violently and spoke up, “Here you go, Zo. I, uh, I tried to find you a pair of smaller pants but the best thing I could come up with was this pair of boxers. Is that alright?”

“Of course, Max. I’m just thankful you’re giving me _anything_ to wear,” she responded with a laugh, carefully hopping down from the counter to avoid flashing Max and making her way to the threshold where he was nervously standing. 

“Well, here,” Max said, handing her the clothes and backing away, “I’ll let you get back to it.”

“Thank you, Max,” Zoey called out, voice filled with sincerity and appreciation (and love, but Max didn’t need to know that she felt that way about him).

“You’re welcome, Zo. No need to thank me,” Max answered, a sad smile on his face before he went to the kitchen to fix himself a much-needed drink. 

As he sat at his kitchen island, sipping an old fashioned as he prepared himself for a long night of thinking about Zoey, the woman taking over his thoughts exited the bathroom in his _still_ too big shirt and blue, plaid boxer shorts with wet hair and no makeup. 

He’d never been more in love with her than in that moment. 

And with that thought—and a little bit of liquid courage—Max quickly stood up from his barstool and stalked his way over the Zoey, cupping her soft cheeks and kissing her passionately before he could chicken out. 

Zoey responded immediately to the kiss, surprising Max a little. He’d thought she’d either hesitate for a couple of seconds or pull away completely. But no, she kissed him back just as eagerly and passionately, which only encouraged Max more as his hands dropped to her waist and he pulled her body flush against his. 

They kissed for as long as they could, but eventually, their need for oxygen became too strong and they had to—reluctantly—break away. 

Their breaths were loud compared to the silence of his apartment as the pair stared at one another in a mixture of shock and awe, still remaining in each other’s arms. 

“You, uh, you just kissed me,” Zoey said, stating the obvious, but sounding like she couldn’t believe what that just happened. Which, to be fair, neither did Max. 

“Yeah…I just kissed you,” Max whispered back, unable to take his eyes off of her. 

After a few seconds of no movement and no talking, Zoey surged up onto her toes and captured Max’s lips in another searing kiss. 

Again, the need for oxygen became too great and they pulled slightly away from each other but this time, Max didn’t let the silence loom over them. 

“I love you,” Max confessed, throwing caution to the wind and finally telling Zoey what had been on his heart for three straight years. “I’ve loved you since the day we met in that stairwell and I’ve never stopped loving you, even when we argue or one of us is stressed from work or when you accidentally dumped spaghetti all over my new, white couch. I love you. I love you so much.”

Tears built up in Zoey’s eyes as the love of her life confessed his feelings for her. It felt like all the stars had aligned in that moment and she gushed back, “I love you too, Max. I love you _so much_ and sometimes it _hurts_ to think about how much I love you but you love me back.” And as if she couldn’t quite believe it, she repeated quietly, “You love me back.”

“I love you back…a-and you love me, too,” Max whispered in awe. “I can't believe you love me, too. I’ve spent _years_ trying to push down these feelings because I thought there was no way in hell you could ever love a guy like me…but you _love_ me.”

With that, Zoey moved one hand to his hair and the other to the back of his neck, crashing her lips into his a little painfully, but they both ignored the dull ache in favor of savoring their moment together. 

“Also,” Max huffed in between kisses, “you look… _so hot_ …in my clothes.”

Breaking the kiss with a laugh, Zoey pulled away a little to look at the man of her dreams and said, “Well, mister, you also look incredibly hot in your clothes, in case you were wondering.”

Joining her in laughter, he swiftly moved his hands from her hips to the back of her thighs before picking her up and carrying her into the living room, laughing more when she squealed loudly. 

“I guess I owe a thank you to your broken shower, huh?” Max said as he lowered both of them to the couch, Zoey clinging to him even as she laid under him on her back. 

“I guess so,” Zoey whispered before lifting her head off of the couch and kissing him senseless. 

* * *

Zoey never made it to her date with Owen. 

Of course, once her head cleared slightly from her constant thoughts of Max, she felt bad that she left the poor guy hanging. But she also couldn’t find it in herself to care too much as she laid in bed with Max, cuddled right on top of his chest as he slept, the clothes she borrowed from him strewed around his room. Instead, she let her mind focus on the sleeping man under her. 

_God, I love this man…and broken showers,_ Zoey thought before drifting off into a dream-filled slumber. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys thought! I absolutely LOVE hearing your comments! <3


	3. C is for “C’mon, C’mon”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> I am an absolute sucker for One Direction so expect a few more chapters featuring their songs ;)
> 
> If anyone wants to listen to the song, here’s the link to it on YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIQaGLMKTHQ 
> 
> Anyways, all mistakes are mine and I hope you all enjoy!!

Max was dancing with some random girl in a club Mo was playing at when he saw Zoey walk in the room. 

And god…she looked _gorgeous_. 

It didn’t matter that he was hopelessly in love with her and she didn’t exactly return those feelings; she still _always_ caught his attention when she walked in the room and she _always_ looked gorgeous, no matter the time or day. 

He watched as the redhead awkwardly made her way around the people in the club, her destination being the DJ station Mo was situated at. 

At some point during his staring, he must’ve stopped moving, since the random girl he was dancing with suddenly pinched his arm and asked, “Aren’t you gonna dance with me some more?”

“I…,” he breathed out, eyes never leaving the woman he was in love with, “No.”

With that, the girl huffed in exasperation, turned on her heels, and marched straight to the bar, away from Max. 

Max couldn’t find it in himself to care at all, especially when Zoey was standing across the room from him, looking awkward and out-of-place and _beautiful_ as she chatted a little with Mo. 

_What I wouldn’t give to be hers_ , Max thought to himself as he made his way through the hoard of dancers to get to Zoey. 

* * *

Zoey was hesitantly looking around the busy club, nervously tucking a loose strand of hair back into her ponytail when she saw Max dancing with someone on the bustling dance floor. 

And god…he looked _amazing._

It didn’t matter that she had tried her hardest to hide her true feelings for her best friend and wasn’t in the right state of mind to be in a relationship, even if she was hopelessly in love with him; she still _always_ noticed his welcoming presence in any room and he _always_ looked amazing, not matter the day or occasion. 

She watched as he danced with whatever good-looking girl he was with, but quickly looked away because who would want to see the man she was head-over-heels with dancing up on another woman? Answer: not Zoey Clarke. 

So she apologized profusely to those around her as she weaved through the crowd and tried to make her way to Mo’s DJ station on the other side of the room, away from Max. 

She chatted with her neighbor for a few minutes until Mo placed a single finger against Zoey’s lips to silence her, and when she quieted down, he wordlessly directed her gaze in the vicinity of Max who was deliberately making his way across the room towards her, sans random dancer girl. 

_What I wouldn’t give to be his_ , she thought to herself. _If only you could commit to him_ , the devil on her shoulder reminded her before she shook her head of all thoughts and just watched as Max made his way through a hoard of people to get to her. 

Right before he reached her, the music playing in the club suddenly stopped, even as the dancers kept moving, and the opening to a heartsong started to play. 

One guess as to who was singing. 

_The one that I came with_

_She had to go_

_But you look amazing_

_Standing alone_

As Max sang the first verse of whatever song he was in his heart, the clubbers stopped their previous dances and all began to stomp and clap to the beat of the song. He then danced his way up to where Zoey was standing semi-alone, though she was next to Mo, and continued with his song. 

_So c'mon, c'mon_

_Move a little closer now_

_C'mon, c'mon_

_Ain't no way you're walking out_

_C'mon, c'mon_

_Show me what you're all about_

When he finally reached Zoey, Max grabbed her hands and swiftly pulled her flush against his chest as he began twirling them around in small circles. 

_Yeah, I've been watching you all night_

_There's something in your eyes_

_Saying c'mon, c'mon and dance with me baby_

_Yeah, the music is so loud, I wanna be yours now_

_So c'mon, c'mon and dance with me baby_

As he started to belt out the chorus of the upbeat pop song, Max moved himself and Zoey to the middle of the dance floor and began enthusiastically and energetically dancing with the redhead in his hold. Their steps were quick on the dance floor, matching the fast tempo of the song as they twirled in circles, extending arms and then folding them again to meet each other in the middle of their embrace. Once she got the hang of the steps and the fast paced movements Max was making, Zoey found herself thoroughly enjoying his most lively heartsong to date as she laughed loudly and danced her heart out. 

_The one that I came with_

_Didn't know how to move_

_The way that you let your hair down_

_I can tell that you do_

With Zoey still held tightly in his arms as they moved, Max brought a hand up to her hair and pulled out the rubber band that secured her fiery red hair, letting it tumble down onto her shoulders and move with their wild, fun movements. 

_So c'mon, c'mon_

_Move a little closer now_

_C'mon, c'mon_

_Ain't no way you're walking out_

_C'mon, c'mon_

_Show me what you're all about_

Max let go of his hold on Zoey, ever-so slightly, before grabbing her hand and twirling her around with one of his arms. And after she swirled and twirled, Max used his other hand to gently grab Zoey’s hip and bring her back to his chest before swaying to the music. 

_Yeah, I've been watching you all night_

_There's something in your eyes_

_Saying c'mon, c'mon and dance with me baby_

_Yeah, the music is so loud, I wanna be yours now_

_So c'mon, c'mon and dance with me baby_

With her back still pressed against his chest, Max quitted the volume of his singing to an almost whisper as his lips ghosted across the side of her neck and her ear. Zoey’s eyes fluttered in pleasure at the sensation of his lips so incredibly close to her, but before she could make a move, he was pulling his face away and moving her again. 

_Every step I take, I'm feeling more and more_

_She's calling out, she's a lucky girl_

_My heart is racing, she's turning around_

_I reach for her hand and I say_

Suddenly, right as the bridge started, Max let Zoey go from his arms and spun her halfway around so that she was facing away from him. And then he gently took her hand, causing her to turn around and took at him as he sang those exact words to her and pulled her into his arms once more, their faces now inches away from each other. 

_Hey, I've been watching you all night_

_There's something in your eyes (in your eyes)_

_Saying c'mon, c'mon and dance with me baby_

_(Dance with me baby, yeah)_

_Yeah, the music is so loud, I wanna be yours now_

_So c'mon, c'mon and dance with me baby, yeah_

_C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon_

_C'mon, c'mon and dance with me baby_

As he finished the chorus of the song, Max held Zoey almost completely still, the only movements in the room being their very minimal swaying in the middle of the dance floor and his mouth moving along with the song. He finished the song with Zoey still in his arms and when the music of the heartsong stopped and the music of the club picked up again, Zoey was _still_ in Max’s arms, in the middle of the dance floor, which seemed to be confusing Max if the bemused expression of his face was any indication. 

Before she could even think about her actions and their possible consequences, she surged up onto her tippy toes and placed a searing, passionate kiss on Max’s lips, stunning him for half a second before he responded hungrily. 

And as they pulled away, Zoey couldn’t help the all-consuming smile from stretching onto her face while Max’s cheeks heated up and he stared at her in both awe and shock. 

“C’mon,” she said, breaking him out of his slightly dazed state and tugging his hand so he would twirl her out of his arms, and then twirl her right back into them, giving him a small peck on the lips as he did so, “dance with me, baby.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How’d you guys like it?
> 
> It was honestly super fun to think of the song and a story to fit with it, so if you guys want to see more of that, let me know!


	4. D is for a Daughter and a Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeahhhhh, so I’m really sorry for taking so long to update! I’ve been surprisingly busy lately and I spent the free time I had working on my other fic! So I sincerely apologize for that!
> 
> But anyways, this was originally going to be REALLY angsty but my brain decided to not let me write angst tonight, so instead you get domestic fluff. :)
> 
> The song used in this chapter is “See the World” by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors. It’s a wonderful song and I recommend listening to it either before or while reading (here’s the link to the song in case anyone wants it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ivxRVUTKVmE )
> 
> Well, all mistakes are mine and I hope you enjoy!

It’s two o’clock in the morning when Zoey wakes up to the sound of a baby’s cry to the right of her. Zoey hears Max stir and grumble to the left of her, making no move to actually get up, so she decides to cut him some slack and take tonight’s shift so he can get a good night’s sleep. 

Zoey ever so slowly opens both eyes and reluctantly gets out of bed, greeted by the sight of her one-month-old daughter, Rhiannon Michelle Richman, laying down in her little, portable crib, awake and crying for her parents’ attention. 

“Hey, baby,” she whispers, gently scooping her petite daughter into her arms, her tiny head resting on Zoey’s shoulder. “How about we go to your room?”

Hoping to not wake Max any more, Zoey stealthily makes her way out of their master bedroom and into the nursery right across the hall. 

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” Zoey coos, relieved to hear that her daughter’s cries have softened a little since being picked up. “You just wanted to be held for a while? Is that it?”

As she feels and hears her daughter relaxing at her voice, Zoey cautiously sits down on the comfortable rocking chair seated in front of the window, careful not to disturb the baby. Once situated, Zoey meticulously reaches over to the bookshelf right next to the rocking chair and grabs _A Light in the Attic_ by Shel Silverstein, Mitch’s favorite book to read to Zoey ever since she was a kid. 

At the sound of her mother’s voice and the comfort of her mother’s warmth, little Rhiannon falls back asleep on Zoey’s shoulder. Zoey positively melts at the sight and sets the book on the side table next to the chair, bringing the now unoccupied hand up to softly brush her daughter’s soft, curly red hair as she peacefully sleeps. 

In the other room, Max stirs awake a few minutes after Zoey leaves the room, unsettled by the absence of his wife in their bed. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep without Zoey next to him, Max climbs out of bed, tripping slightly over the bed comforter, before making his way out of his room and towards the nursery. 

Just as Max reaches the room, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his broad chest and a soft, sleepy smile on his face, Zoey begins very quietly singing. 

_I was reading Shel Silverstein while you fell asleep_

_Thinkin' 'bout cosmic generosity, it's a mystery_

_You roar like a lion, sleep like a lamb, watching your diaphragm_

_Breathing in and out, dancing through the clouds_

Max has no idea whether this is a heartsong or not, but he can’t help but fall more in love with the woman in front of him as she sings to their daughter. He’ll worry about the problem of a potential glitch another time. 

_I can't wait to watch you see the world_

_With your own eyes, your own eyes_

Apparently oblivious to the company, Zoey slowly rises from her seat in the rocking chair—not taking her eyes off of her girl—and begins swaying to her music as Rhiannon burrows deeper into the warmth of her mother. 

_Just like me and my old man, we're watching Peter Pan fly to Neverland_

_Someday you'll fly away, find your own time and space_

_It's a unique chemistry you carry in your genes, your own memories_

_You'll make your own noise, sing with your own voice_

Max's smile turns sad at the reminder of Mitch. He knew that anytime Zoey and her dad weren’t watching space related movies or shows, they were watching _Peter Pan_. Zoey fell in love with the movie as soon as she saw Peter Pan’s red hair—just like hers—and it remained the father-daughter duo’s favorite movie till the day Mitch died. But he shakes those thoughts out of his head and instead focuses on his wife adorably serenading their daughter. 

_I can't wait to watch you see the world_

_With your own eyes, your own eyes_

_I can't wait to watch you see the world_

_With your own eyes, your own eyes_

Zoey continues swaying with little Rhiannon in her arms, occasionally doing a gentle twirl as she sings. A part of Max wants to walk into the room towards his little family and join their song and dance, but the other part of him prefers to let Zoey have a tender moment alone with their daughter, so he stays in his spot and continues watching happily from the sidelines. 

_When I see you in photographs_

_I can't believe how young you used to be_

_I don't know whether I should cry or laugh_

_They feel like the same thing to me_

Max starts to tear up at Zoey singing the bridge. These past few months had not been easy on either of them—Zoey felt incredibly insecure about being a good mother because she felt like she couldn’t take care of herself, much less a child who fully depends on her; Max was terrified to become a father due to his lack of supportive parents before meeting the Clarke’s—and they both still have their doubts at times, but at the end of the day, all Max feels is overflowing love for his two favorite girls. Why should he feel scared of fatherhood or screwing up the only family he has when he gets to wake up to the sight of his beautiful wife and daughter each morning, knowing they love him just as much as he loves them?

_I can't wait to watch you see the world_

_With your own eyes, your own eyes_

_I can't wait to watch you see the world_

_With your own eyes, your own eyes_

Max watches with rapt attention as Zoey slows down her swaying and walks the short distance back to the comfy rocking chair, careful not to rouse Rhiannon awake as she sits down. 

_I was reading Shel Silverstein while you fell asleep_

_Thinkin' 'bout cosmic generosity_

It’s then that Max notices the Shel Silverstein book sitting right next to the girls. He grows a little sad again at the reminder of Mitch’s favorite book to read to Zoey when she was growing up, but he can’t find it in himself to dwell in his sadness as he stares at his half-asleep wife, since it seems her song is now over, and fully-asleep daughter. 

Knowing Zoey gets bad neck pains if she falls asleep anywhere but in their bed, Max makes his presence known before she can drift into her slumber. 

“Hey, lovebug,” Max whispers from his place at the door, causing Zoey to slowly open her eyes at the familiar voice and smile affectionately up at her husband. 

“Hi, honey,” Zoey responds, her eyes involuntarily closing as she listens to her daughter’s steady breathing. 

“You think you wanna come back to bed now?” Max says in amusement as he watches Zoey’s head lull to the side as she desperately fights the sleep that’s about to overcome her. 

“Yeah…yeah, I’d like that,” Zoey murmurs tiredly as Max makes his way over to his wife, offering her a hand to help her out of the chair and wrapping his arm around her as they make their way through the hallway and back to their master bedroom. 

“I love you,” Max sighs softly, carefully taking the sleeping baby from his wife’s arms to put her in the small crib as Zoey practically crawls into their bed and burrows under the thick covers. 

Once Rhiannon is settled in her crib, not even stirring when Max sets her down on her back, he makes his way over to his side of the bed and joins Zoey under the covers, where she immediately seeks his warmth and rolls into his awaiting arms. 

“I love you, too,” Zoey breathes, the last thing she says before falling asleep in the love of her life’s warm embrace. And as Max falls asleep to the rhythm of his wife’s heartbeat and breathing, Max thinks about how he’s never felt more in love and fortunate in his whole life. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent FOREVER trying to decide whether Zoey or Max would be the one to sing the song, but my first idea was Zoey so I stuck with it! If I had written the angsty version of this, I probably would’ve changed it to Max, but I gave you fluff instead! :)
> 
> This was a lot of fun to write and I hope you loved reading it as much as I loved writing it! Let me know what you guys thought!! <3


	5. E is for “Enchanted”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so, I’ve been on a Taylor Swift kick these last few days and “Enchanted” is one of my favorite songs of her’s so voila! This is AU based off of the song where Max and Zoey never met at SPRQ Point because Max doesn’t work there and Zoey doesn’t have her powers. Other than that, everything’s pretty much the same I guess.
> 
> Anyways, all mistakes are mine and I hope you guys enjoy! :)

_There I was again tonight. Forcing laughter, faking smiles. Same old tired, lonely place._

  
  


Weddings: the bane of Zoey’s existence. Not only were weddings specifically designed to make Zoey as uncomfortable as possible around people she hardly knew, but they also served as glaring reminders of just how lonely Zoey really was. 

She’s at that age where most of her friends have already found their life partners and are moving forward with their lives while Zoey’s stuck in the never-ending quicksand of crappy first dates, unsatisfactory one-night stands, and emotional constipation when dealing with any sort of relationship. 

But, though she’s lonely, she is _not_ a bad friend, so she goes to all of the weddings she’s invited to,—never with a plus-one—plasters on an overly cheery smile, laughs too loud to be true at random relatives’ painfully horrible jokes and anecdotes, and silently suffers through a night of self-depreciation and loneliness. _At least there’s alcohol_ , she tells herself every time she ends up at another one of these shindigs. 

  
  


_Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy. Vanished when I saw your face._

  
  


God, if her mother saw the silently brooding, insincere woman Zoey turned into at weddings, she'd get a slap on the wrist for sure. But really, she can’t help it; weddings bring out the worst version of Zoey and it’s hard not to think about how sucky her own love life is while watching another happy couple make a promise to spend the rest of their lives with each other. 

No matter how worn out Zoey gets as the night progresses, she still wears her mask and acts like she’s enjoying herself, sipping her upteenth glass of champagne as she stands near the bar and makes light small talk with a few people every once in a while. 

…Until she sees him. 

The minute she lays eyes on him, it’s like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. One look at the tall, handsome brunette on the other side of the room makes her want to spill all of her darkest secrets and run away to be with him forever. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ , Zoey muses to herself as she shakes her head of those strange, out-of-nowhere thoughts and downs the rest of the champagne flute. 

Expect, those strange, out-of-nowhere thoughts come back to her at full force when she makes eye contact with the intoxicating man. 

  
  


_All I can say is, it was enchanting to meet you._

  
  


_Fuck_ , did she really want to meet him now. _You’re so screwed_ , she thinks to herself as she reaches for another flute of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray and drinks it all in one gulp, never breaking eye contact with the personable man. 

  
  


_Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?". Across the room your silhouette starts to make its way to me._

  
  


His eyes tell a million stories. Looking into his eyes makes Zoey feel like she's known the man all her life. But there’s curiosity and intrigue hidden somewhere in those chocolate brown orbs of his. His eyes hold a million questions and a million answers, all of which Zoey wants to know. Though, the most profound question in his eyes seems to be _have we met?_ Zoey has to scoff at that; if she had _ever_ seen that man before in her life, there is _no way_ she would have ever let him slip by without taking actions into her own hands, _literally_. She’s never been a woman of action, _that’s for sure_ , but she’s also never been a woman to let a man as intriguing and electrifying as him get away from her. 

She’s so busy staring into his eyes, off in her own little dream world, that she doesn’t even notice the man starting to make his way across the room until he’s a few feet away from her. _Oh boy_ , she thinks as she tries to mentally prepare herself for the moments to come. 

  
  


_The playful conversation starts. Counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy._

  
  


“So…you come here often?” the man lamely jokes as he slides up next to her at the bar with a smirk and a mischievous glint in those fantasy-inducing eyes. 

“Mhm, wouldn’t you like to know,” Zoey playfully quips back, her lips involuntary forming a smirk of her own. 

“Well now that you mention it, I _would_ like to know, thank you very much,” he jests, his smirk growing with each passing moment as he leans slightly closer into her vicinity. 

“Alright, _champ_. How about you learn my name before trying to seduce me?” The newfound confidence Zoey feels as she banters with the man is uncharted territory for her. _Maybe it’s the champagne_ , she muses. _Maybe it’s this incredibly hot stranger who you’re already in love with_. Yeah…that’s probably more like it. 

“Oh, you think this is my seduction mode?” he says amusedly, surprised laughter bubbling out of his throat. “When the seducing _actually_ begins…you’re never gonna know what hit you, sweetie.” As he says this, he leans down near her left ear and whispers the second half of his sentence, causing major shivers to run down her spine at the sensation of his cool breath on the sensitive skin of her neck. Just when Zoey’s eyes are about to roll to the back of her head in pure ecstasy and want, the man pulls away suddenly, the mischief in his eyes burning brighter than ever. “Max Richman,” he supplies with a genuine, soft smile, holding out his hand for her to shake. 

_God damnit, what am I getting myself into?_ “Zoey Clarke,” she responds, linking her hand with his in a handshake. The moment her finger grazes the palm of his hand though, she feels sparks ignite all over her body and everything suddenly feels _very_ warm. Shaking her head, she releases her hand from his grasp before the handshake could escalate into anything more to grab yet another drink from the bar top. 

“Well,” Max starts, the smirk returning once more, “I’m looking forward to a night of seducing you, Zoey.”

She doesn’t choke on her drink. _She doesn’t._

  
  


_And it was enchanting to meet you. All I can say is, I was enchanted to meet you._

  
  


They talk for what feels like _hours._ They drink, they laugh, they get to know one another, they share stories, they slyly sneak glances of each other when they think the other isn’t looking, they find random, not-so-subtle ways to touch each other at all times, they drink some more, they dance their hearts out, and they slowly fall in love. 

Well, Zoey falls in love. She doesn’t know if Max feels quite the same way, but she chooses not to dwell on that thought in favor of living in the moment with Max. _Maybe weddings don’t suck so bad after all?_ If some stupid—well, stupid to _her_ —wedding could bring her something as good and wonderful as Max, then maybe she should start being a little more thankful for other couples’ love lives and her lack thereof. 

  
  


_This night is sparkling. Don't you let it go._

  
  


She holds onto every little thing he says and does. Everything about him is utterly intoxicating and Zoey absolutely _dreads_ the moment she’ll eventually have to leave the reception and go back to her apartment, where everything is dull and boring and there aren’t any handsome men named Max hanging around and she has to wake up early in the morning to go back to work and she has to finally go back to regular life, outside of the bubble she’s created for herself tonight. 

Eventually, though, like all good things, the reception comes to an end and Max and Zoey are forced to part ways. _If only I didn’t have to work tomorrow morning_ , Zoey internally grumbles as she gathers her stuff to leave, Max standing right next to her. 

“I, uh…I have work early tomorrow morning,” Zoey mutters regretfully, feeling even more upset when she sees the clear, shining disappointment in his eyes. 

“Well Miss Zoey, though I didn’t get to properly seduce you…,” he quips lightheartedly, his signature smirk on his face in an attempt to shield her from the disappointment he feels. But he drops the smirk quickly and his expression turns soft and earnest when he continues, “this was one of the best nights of my life. So, thank you.”

“I could say the same thing,” Zoey whispers with a smile, not even noticing how close they were standing until Max moves his head slightly to capture her lips in the most gentle yet passion-filled kiss of her life. Zoey gets lost in the sensation of being this close to Max, warmed by his embrace. It’s unclear how long they spend kissing but too soon, they run out of necessary air and pull away, staring at each other with heated eyes and swollen lips. 

“I guess we should go,” Max murmurs, not making any move to fulfill his suggestion and leave. But Zoey _really_ does have to make it home soon, otherwise she’s bound to be late to work the next morning, so she nods with a sad smile and they walk out of the reception hall together, their arms brushing as they walk side by side. 

As they vacate the reception hall, he offers her a ride home, which she willingly accepts, even if he isn’t staying the night. 

  
  


_I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home._

  
  


They hold hands on the center console of his Audi and hum the melodies of random songs that play on the radio, choosing to enjoy the quiet moment rather than talk. It’s pure bliss in Zoey’s opinion. 

Ever the gentleman, Max offers to walk Zoey up to her apartment when they arrive at their destination and who is she to refuse such a kind offer from the most handsome of men? 

“Well, uh, this is it.” She points unnecessarily at the red door to her apartment after they’ve climbed the stairs to her floor, the door garnering the number 3 and layers of chipped paint. 

Before she can make another move, like fish the keys out of her purse or prepare herself for the inevitable goodbyes, Max is hungrily attacking her lips with his own, lightly pressing her against her red door in heated passion. But they both know they can’t take it any father tonight; any other night, _sure_ , but they’re both pumped full with alcohol and high spirits and they both have work early in the morning so they reluctantly break apart from their embrace with heaving chests and flushed cheeks. 

“You have no idea how badly I want this to keep going,” Max whispers earnestly, pressing his forehead against her’s as they fight to catch their breaths. 

“Seems to me like your seduction methods are _quite_ effective, if I do say so myself,” Zoey jokes, earning her a huff of laughter from Max as they continue to hold each other close. 

“Goodnight, Zoey,” Max murmurs, placing one last delicate kiss on her plump, welcoming lips. 

“Goodnight, Max,” she croons back. Zoey immediately misses the warmth of his embrace when he reluctantly backs away, but it’s worth it when he tosses her an adoring look over his shoulder as he makes his way down the stairs, out of her sight. 

  
  


_I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you._

  
  


Zoey doesn’t move from her spot against the door for a long time, just thinking about her enchanting night with Max instead of going to bed like she should be doing. _Best night of my life,_ she muses to herself, smiling like a lovestruck fool before finally fishing her keys out of her purse and making her way inside. 

  
  


_The lingering question kept me up. 2AM, who do you love?. I wonder 'til I'm wide awake._

  
  


After all the fuss of not having Max stay over so she could get a reasonable night of sleep for work in the morning, _she can’t fucking sleep_. 

All she can think about is Max. Max with his damn doe eyes, damn adorable smile, damn charming self, damn perfect _everything._ The more time she spends tossing and turning in her sheets, the more she begins to wonder how someone as perfect as Max could be available and willing to spend time with her. _It’s got to be some sort of sick trick_ , she convinces herself as she stares at the ceiling. _There’s no way a man like that could ever love someone like me._ Cue the pitiful, self-deprecating tears at 2 o’clock in the morning. 

  
  


_And now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door. I'd open up and you would say, "Hey". It was enchanting to meet you. All I know is I was enchanted to meet you._

  
  


By 3 o’clock, Zoey gives up on sleep and instead paces around her bedroom, practically burning a hole through the floor. _God, I should’ve just let him stay_ , she grumbles as she walks back and forth from one side of the room to the other. During her late night brooding, she realizes that she never gave Max her phone number and almost starts crying again, just wishing he would magically show up at her door and make it all better. 

But that’s just a fantasy, and she finally wears herself out enough from her despair to fall asleep on the plush carpet rug laying at the foot of her bed. 

  
  


_This night is sparkling. Don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever, wondering if you knew. This night is flawless. Don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you._

  
  


Her night with Max fills her dreams that night. She dreams of their dances, their kisses, their conversations, and even their goodbyes. She dreams of what it would be like had Max come into her apartment and stayed with her. She dreams of what it would be like had she never seen him at the reception. She even dreams of never seeing his face again. 

  
  


_This is me praying that. This was the very first page. Not where the storyline ends. My thoughts will echo your name, until I see you again. These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon. I was enchanted to meet you._

  
  


She wakes up with tears streaming down her face because of her last dream—well, _nightmare_ really. She cries and cries while she thinks of the possibility of never seeing Max again, which only seems to make her cry even harder. _A perfect night with the perfect man, all to be ruined because I’ll never see him again. And he’ll probably never know how I truly felt for him_ , she thinks sadly as she curls into herself and thinks wistfully of Max. She cries herself to sleep once more, her mind repeating his name over and over until it sounds like a broken record. 

  
  


_Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you._

  
  


Work is a welcome distraction for Zoey when she gets up for the day. But the minute she’s not focusing on revising her team’s codes, she’s thinking about Max, sitting, waiting, wishing that he doesn’t have someone other than her waiting for him and that she’ll be able to see him again one day. _Why didn’t you give him your phone number, dumbass?_ , she snides at herself as she continues belittling herself and her actions. 

Little does she know that not too far from her, a couple blocks away, Max is thinking those same thoughts. He too spent the whole night tossing and turning, wishing for Zoey to show up out of nowhere—despite not even knowing where he lives—so they could spend preferably _forever_ together. Never in his life has Max felt such intense feelings for a person in such little time, and he’ll be damned if he lets a good thing like that go just because he’s too busy wondering how she feels. So while Zoey broods, Max decides that he’s not going to let a woman like Zoey go without fighting for her, _not that she knows that._

  
  


_This night is sparkling. Don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you._

  
  


Later that night, Zoey’s drinking wine straight out of the bottle, eating takeout, and thinking about Max instead of paying attention to the movie playing on the screen in front of her. 

During one of her numerous swigs of the tasty merlot, Zoey hears a knock on her front door. Confused as to who would be showing up at her place at 8 o’clock, she hesitantly makes her way to the front door and opens it, not bothering to look in the peephole even though she should. 

Her heart just about stops when she sees Max in front of her. 

Before she can even say anything or move an inch, Max is charging towards her and capturing her lips in a searing, want-filled kiss. They clumsily maneuver themselves into her apartment—Max kicking the door closed with his foot—and they don’t stop their pursuit until they’ve somehow made their way into her bedroom, the back of Max’s legs hitting the foot of the bed as they reach their destination. 

Falling onto his back, Zoey on top of him, they break their kiss, needing time to breathe. Their gazes are intense as they stare at one another before they both simultaneously whisper, “I love you.”

Both freezing in shock, their jaws drop and they look at each other with wide eyes before Max breaks out of his haze and smiles lovingly up at her, placing a light, sweet kiss to her awaiting lips. 

“I love you, Zoey,” Max croons as he watches her. “I love you, Zoey, and I’ve never said those words this quickly to anyone in my entire life before but I knew I loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you and I haven’t stopped thinking about you all day and I love you, Zoey. I love you so much.”

At the end of his rambles, Zoey’s face breaks out into the largest grin he’s ever seen before she brings her head down to capture his lips with her own, repeating those three little words over and over and over to him in between their kisses. 

  
  


_Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you._

  
  


When they wake up in her bed the next morning, clothes strewn all over the room, limbs tangled together, the comforter covering their bare skin, they can’t help but whisper, “I love you,” to each other as they enjoy being in one another’s arms. 

_Thank god she’s not in love with someone else_ , Max thinks amusedly to himself as he brushes Zoey’s mused hair from her face. _Thank god he doesn’t have someone else waiting on him_ , Zoey reflects as she admires how perfectly the morning rays of sunshine pour through her bedroom window light up his face. So as they lay there, wonderstruck and in love, they can’t help but think of how enchanted it was to meet one another.

And with those thoughts, they fall back into blissful sleep, wrapped in each other’s warmth and love while thinking about how excited they are for what’s to come. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so fun to write and I hope you guys loved it! 
> 
> Comments and reviews are greatly appreciated!! Thanks for reading! :)


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